Cotton tie buckling machine



1953 J.' w. MORRISON COTTON TIE BUCKLING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 12. 1949 Inventor Attorney Feb. 10, 1953 J. w. MORRISON COTTON TIE BUCKLING MACHINE Fi led Aug. 12, 1949 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor :Iakn WHOM-m Attorney Feb. 1953 J. w. MORRISON COTTON TIE BUCKLING MACHINE Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 12, 1949 Inventor John W flforrz's a n,

A ttorney J. W. MORRISON COTTON TIE BUCKLING MACHINE Feb. 10, 1953 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 12, 1949 Jakz fif/Morrz'son Atlorney Feb. 10, 1953 J. w. MORRISON COTTON TIE BUCKLING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 12. 1949 Inventor Attorney Feb. 10, 1953 J. w. MORRISON 2,627,839

COTTON TIE BUCKLING' MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1949 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Attorney I III I III/ 05672, Wflforra'son .170 174 in O G Patented Feb. 10, T95?) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates generally to machines for applying buckles to metal bands or straps and more particularly to a new and improved machine for performing the complete operation of folding a cotton tie iron around the buckle therefor.

Cotton tie irons or bands are employed at the cotton gins and compresses to hold the bales of cotton, from nine to twelve bands being required for each bale, and one compress uses in the order of 10,000 bands a day.

Cotton bands similar to the type disclosed herein have heretofore been folded in part by a hand machine such, for example, as that disclosed in Patent 2,025,168 to Nobe J. Keith for Hand Buckle Machine, and in part by hand, the final folding of the band about the buckle being accomplished by striking th band with a mallet, or the like.

A cotton band of a type having the specific fold disclosed herein has heretofore been folded entirely by hand, the buckle being placed on theband after forming the first fold therein and the final fold being made by mashing or striking the band with a hammer, mallet, or the like. This hand operation requires from three to eight hammer blows and from eight to twelve operators to fold the aforementioned 10,000 bands required per day in the use of one compress.

The fully automaticmachine 0f the present invention requires only two operators working four hours to fold the 10,000 bands, the machine for this purpose being arranged to operate in unit cycles initiated by an operator in control of a novelunit cycle clutch, the two folds being made in sequential order during approximately three-fourths of one cycle and the next succeeding buckle being automatically supplied to the machine from a buckle hopper as the preceding buckle and folded band thereon are ejected from the machine during the remaining one-fourth of the cycle.

The machine also makes provision during the unit cycle of operations thereof for placing and withdrawing an anvil about which the first fold in the band is made and further makes provision for moving a buckle holder pin into engagement therewith to hold the same rigid during the folding operations, the buckle holder pin being respectively withdrawn and returned in place after the tie folding and buckle loading operations during each unit cycle of operations.

The cotton bands are used over and over again,

the short pieces being spliced together with rivets'. l leretofore there has been considerable waste in folding the specific band disclosed herein for the reason that the operators cannot fold the bands according to the aforedescribed hand method when the bands are shorter than approximately twenty inches. The machine of the present invention is so constructed and arranged to accommodate and fold bands as short as ten inches whereby such short bands which otherwise would be discarded as scrap may be reclaimed in the use of the machine of the present invention, thereby resulting in substantial savings in cotton baling operation, as from 15 to 20 thousand short nds of bands are discarded weekly in the use of prior art band folding methods.

An object of the present invention therefore is to provide a cotton tie band folding machine having all of the advantages of prior art machines and hand processes while obviating all of the disadvantages and difiiculties thereof.

Another object is toprovide an automatic cotton tie band folding machine operable in unit cycles to automatically place and hold a buckle in tie folding position, fold the tie in a first bend and thereafter in a second bend about the buckle, and finally to eject the folded band and buckle from the machine out of the path of the incoming buckle.

Another object is to provide a new and improved clutoh for controlling the foregoing unit cycle of operations of the machine.

Still another object is to provide a machine of the aforedescribed character having all of the desired qualities of simplicity of construction, economy of manufacture, and ease of operation, highly skilled operators not being required.

An additional object resides in the provision of a machine of this character which is readily timed and capable of maintaining its timing adjustment.

Still other objects, features, advantages and improvements of the present invention reside in or are implied from the novel construction, combination and. arrangement of parts comprising the foldin machine as hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a left side elevational view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a somewhat enlarged view of the machine as viewedin Figure 1, the table support therefor not being shown;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the machine as viewed from the top thereof, the chute being shown in section;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the machine, the table therefor and the chute not being shown;

Figure 5 is a right side elevational view of the machine as viewed along the line 5-5 of Figure 3, certain parts being in section;

Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and are sectional views taken along the lines 66, l-'l, 8-8, 9-9 and Ill-l0, respzctively of Figure 3;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary View similar to Figure 10 and illustrating the clutch disengaged;

Figure 12 is a sectional view, somewhat enlarged, taken along the line l2l2 of Figure 3, the first fold in the tie being illustrated;

Figure 13 is a View similar to Figure 12, the second fold in the tie being illustrated;

Figure 14 is a view in perspective of the buckle holder with the buckle in position thereon;

Figure 15 is a View in perspective of the end of a folding shaft and the lug secured thereto;

Figure 16 is a view in perspectiveof the buckle loading dog;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a buckle and tie which has been assembled by the machine of the present invention;

Figure 18 is a sectional View taken along the line l8l3 of Figure 12;

Figure 19 is a view in elevation of the buckle chute and loading dog, the loading dog being in buckle receiving position with respect to the chute;

Figure 2G is a sectional view taken along the line 28-28 of Figure 19;

Figure 21 is a timing chart illustrating in diagrammatic form the operation of certain of the machine-parts during a unit cycle of operations of the machine, and

Figure 22 is a detail perspective View of the retractable anvil.

Referring now to the drawings for a more complete understanding of the invention and first more particularly to Figure 17 thereof, it will be seen-that the buckle '25 is generally similar in shape to-a figure in which the vertical leg 23 crosses the horizontal arm 21 to form a closed loop or eye through which'the strap or bandit is threaded and thereafter folded in the specific manner and by the specific means subsequently to be described-thereby to secure the band to the buckle. The end of the hori'zontal arm 2? is turned up as at-23,-thereby to form a stopagainst Which-leg 26-moves to prevent opening of the aforementioned buckle eye or-loop.

Theend portion-of the band is folded in a first fold as at SI and in a second fold about the buckle as at32, these folds being separated by a distance sufiicient to form an intermediate portion 33 the end of which lies in spaced adjacency tothe-buckle and thereby retains the bucklein attached relation to the band. The folds-3i and -32-are formed rounded or arcuatein order to avoid cracking or fatiguing the metal of the bands at the folds The buckles are supplied to the foldingmachine from a hopper 35, Figure 1, which maybe generally similar to a conventional corn planter'both as to construction and manner of operation, the hopper having a disk 66 adjacent thebottom thereof and the disk having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 37 having the size and shape of the buckles whereby a quantity of buckles placed in the hopper, drop into the openings 31 and as the disk'36 rotates to move a hole :,3'l"over the fixedhole 38 in the bottom of the hopper, a buckle drops through the aligned holes into the buckle chute 35 which is secured to the hopper as by the bracket 39a. Disk 36 is rotated intermittently to move successive holes 31 over the hole 38 as by the ratchet wheel 40 and pawl 4| therefor which is connected as by link Ma to the cam driven arm 32 of the folding machine whereby the discharge of the buckle from the hopper is controlled in timed spaced relation to the time of operation of other parts of the machine, as will/appear more fully as the-description proceeds. Suince it now to'point out that arm 32 carries a shoulder screw 29 upon which is rotatively supported a cam roller 34 which is yieldably urged as by the coil spring into engagement with cam 8|, arm d2 being pivotally secured as by the pin 43 to the bracket 44, in turn, secured as by screws 69 to the machine floor or foundation plate 52, and a spring 89 being connected to a lateral arm 82 of arm 32 and to plate 52 as by the eye screw 83.

*Buckle chutet Figures 3, 19 and 20, is formed with a depending track ififor receiving cross arm 27 of the buckle whereby the same isguided into buckle receiver or loading dog 56, the buckle being shown in the chute in Figure 19, just prior to the dropping into the loading dog position illustrated in dashed lines.

Loading dog 46, Figure 16, is formed in a series of depressions or steps for receiving diiferent portions of the buckle, the end of buckle leg 26 .being received into a depression or recess 51, upturned buckle 23 rests in a depression 48 with cross arm 21 in engagement with the side flange 49, and the rounded end of leg 28 rests in a semi-cylindrical depression 53 therefor.

The loading dog is disposed in aslot 5i the foundation or floor plate 52 for the folding'machine, the loading dog being guided in the slot for movement from the buckle receiving position illustrated in Figure 19 to the tie or band apply ing'position as best seen in Figure 3. The loading dog'is actuated between the aforesaid positions thereof by the lever arm 53 having an elongated slot 54 for receiving a screw 55 by means ofwhich it is secured to the loading dog. The other end of arm 53 is secured as by the rivet 55, Figure 7, to the rocker shaft 53 which is journaled in the bearing bracket 5'1, in turn, secured as by screws 58, or the like, to the floor plate 52.

The upper-end of the rocket shaftifi has a rocker arm 59 secured thereto as by rivet 60,:and

the end of the rocker arm is pivotallyrsecured as by the pin 61 to the cam rod 62 which is secured bythe turnbuckle 63 to the cam rod 54,

in turn, secured, as bythepivot pin 65, to the cam lever 66.

Cam lever-66 is pivotally secured by pin 6'Ito the bracket 68 which is secured as by the screws 69, or the like to floor plate 52. Cam lever 66 carries a shoulder screw 18 upon which is rotatively supported a cam follower roller H which is yieldably urged into follow up engagement with the cam 12 as by the coil spring 73 disposed within the closed-end cylinder Hi. Apiston 15is mounted in the open end of cylinder 74 for movement against the opposing force of spring 13, the piston being secured to the turnbuckle as by the member Bdyand the closed threaded end of the cylinder being secured as by the nut 35 to the bracket 86, in turn, secured as by-the screws 81, or the like, to floor plate 52.

It will be noted in Figure 19 that a portion of the upper cross arm 24 of buckle 25 projects beyond the end of loading dog 46 when the buckle is resting thereon, .and this; projecting -portion of the buckle is received into a complementary opening or groove 88 formed therefor in the plate 89, Figure 18, when the loading dog and buckle are in the tie receiving position. The buckle is held firmly in this position by the retractable buckle holder pin 90 having an end portion 9| of cross section conforming to the eye of the buckle whereby the same is adapted to be received substantially interfittingly therewithin except that sufiicient clearance is provided to pass the tie 38 between the buckle and the holder end portion, as best may be seen in Figure 18.

Holder pin 90 is mounted for sliding movement on floor plate 52, being guided in a slot 92 formed therefor in the fixed tie anvil 93 which is secured to the floor plate as by the screws 94, Figure 3. The buckle holder has a downwardly open cylindrical recess 95 for receiving the cylindrically shaped end 96 of the holder actuating arm 91 which is secured to the rocker shaft 98 as by the pin 99.

Rocker shaft 98 is journaled in bearings I and IOI secured to floor plate 52 as by screws I02. The other end of rocker shaft 98 has a lever arm I03 secured thereto as by the pin I04, and the lever arm I03 is pivotally secured as by the pivot pin I to the lever I06 which at the other end thereof is pivotally secured as by the pin I01 to the cam lever I08.

Cam lever I08 extends through a suitable opening therefor in the floor plate and is mounted for rocking movement about pivot pin I09 carried by bracket III! which is secured to the floor plate 52 as by screws II I. The upper end of cam lever carries a shoulder screw H2, or the like,

upon which a cam H3 is rotatively mounted and yieldably urged into engagement with the cam II4 as by the coil spring II5 which is connected between the lever arm I I6 secured to cam lever I08 and the eye screw II1 secured to floor plate 52.

Cams 8| and H4 are secured to a hub II8, in turn, secured as by the key I I9, Figure 9, to the drive shaft I28 which is suitably journaled in the bearing brackets I2I and I22 which are secured as by suitable bolts I23 to the floor plate 52. Similarly, cam 12 and a cam I24 are secured to a hub I25, in turn, secured as by the key I26 to drive shaft I20.

A cam roller I21 is arranged for coaction with cam I24, roller I21 being rotatively mounted on the shoulder screw I28 which is, in turn, carried by the cam lever I29, the latter being mounted for rocking movement on pin I30 carried on bracket I3I which is secured, as by screws I32, to the. floor plate 52.

The bottom of cam lever I29 is pivotally connected as by pin I33 to cam rod I34 which is secured as by the turnbuckle I35 to the cam rod 7 I36, the latter being pivotally secured as by the pin I31 to the bell crank I38. A spring assembly 1315, 84-81 similar to that employed for cam roller is employed to urge cam roller I21 yieldably into engagement with cam I24.

Bell crank I38 is mounted for rocking movement about the bolt I39 which is secured to the floor plate 52, and the other end of the bell crank is pivotally connected as by the pin I40 to the retractable anvil I4I, the latter being mounted for sliding movement in the block I42 which is secured as by the screws I43 to the floor plate 52.

As may best be seen in Figure 12, the retractable anvil I4I comprises an end portion I44 which forms the anvil per se about which the first bend or fold 3| in the cotton tie 30 is made, anvil portion I44 for this purpose being generally wedgeshape in cross section with the thickened edge rounded to form the curvature in the tie fold 32. Anvil portion I44 terminates in a narrowed projection I45 which enters an interfitting opening I46, Figure 13, formed therefor in the aforementioned plate 39 when the retractable anvil is in the tie folding position, as best seen in Figure 3.

Plate 89 is secured by any suitable means, not shown, to the bearing plate I41 which together with a similar bearing plate I48 support a pair of folding shafts I49 and I50, the plates having suitable openings and bearings, not shown, for journaling the shafts in the plates and similar openings being formed in plate 89, the aforementioned anvil receiving opening I46 being in communication with one of the openings and the aforementioned slot 88 being in communication with the other of these openings.

Bearing plates I41 and I48 are secured as by the screws I5! to a base plate I52 which, in turn, is secured as by the screws I53 to the floor plate 52, suitable spacers I54 being sleeved on screws I53 to space plate I52 from plate 52 such that the axes of rotation of shafts I49 and I coincide approximately with the axis of the rounded edge of anvil portion I44 and the leg 23 of buckle 25, respectively, an opening I55, whichformsa continuation of opening 5|, being formed in plate 52 to accommodate plates I41 and I48. 1:

Shafts I49 and I50, respectively, have formed integrally therewith at the ends thereof folding lugs I56 and I51, each of these lugs having a shaft portion I58, Figure 15, which rotates in the opening therefor in plate 89 whereby the lug per se is free to move in face adjacency to the plate.

An angle I59 secured to plate 52 as by screws I60 is employed as the stop to position the tie in the machine.

Folding shafts I49 and I50 have secured thereto for rotation therewith spur gears "SI and I62, respectively, and these gears are driven by segment gears I63 and I64 individual thereto, the segment gears being parts of rocker arms I65 and I66, respectively, which are journaled in any suitable manner on a common shaft I61 which is supported in suitable openings formed therefor in bearing plates I41 and I48, shaft I61 being secured against rotation with respect to the latter as by the set screws I68. 3

Each of rocker arms I85 and I66 has a pair of links I66 and I18 pivotally secured thereto as by a screw III, the links individual to arm I65 being pivotally secured as by a screw I12 to a cam rod I13 and the links individual to rocker arm I66 being pivotally secured as by the screw I14 to a cam rod I15. Cam rods I13 and I15 are slidably supported in a block I16 having side grooves I81 for receiving the rods and side plates I 11 and I18 individual to the rods and secured to the block as by the screws I19 so as to retain the rods in position in the block, the latter being supported on a bracket I88, in turn, secured as by screws I89 to floor plate 52. 1;

Rod I13 carries a shoulder screw I upon which is mounted a roller I8I arranged to travel in the cam groove I82 formed in the side surface of cam wheel I83. Similarly, rod I15 carries a shoulder screw I8 4 upon which is mounted a roller I85 arranged to travel in the cam groove I86 formed in the other side surface of the cam wheel I83. Y

Cam wheel I83 is secured to shaft I20 for rotation therewith as bythe key I90, and rapidr ota -tio'zrof the wheel and theshaft whempower is:cut offlztheref-rom. is :damped as 'byithe ;braker.assembly generallycdesignated'z2.and comprising-the, brake sshoeslsl having therbrakeilining twin-engage- -ment vith -.the..outer peripheral surface of the wheel. iShOei I;9I LiSLplVOtEHY. connected. as, at I 93 Sitora rockerearm: I94 whiclris pivotally supported :.as cat .1 I 95::on zthe. bracket :!96, rthe latter being secured in any suitable manner to the fiooriplate 1:52. zThelbrakeifshoe is yi'eldablyurge'd intoen- :gagementwith cam wheel I 33138. by. the coil'spring J91 whichgissleevedcon'abolt I98, .the latter passing through suitable openingsitherefor in floor plate 52,:bracket1'96, and-rockeriarm I94. iAnutz I99-3on1the :bolt:retains:the spring in: compression -i-between". the nut sand the: rocker :arm --thereby to :yieldably .urge the shoe ;.against the ;.camwheel.

.zPoweritox shaft I'2Ilfis supplied from' any:suitable source noti'shown, through the .V-belts and pulley 220andz20l andthe clutch'generally desig- .nated".2 B2 ,2 pulley l 2 U I a being mounted for rotation :zona'shaft I 20.

Clutch 282 .comprises a .collar: 203 secured as :.by pin 284- to shaft 12B. and a movable'clutch colularz205 slidably securedtto shaft I28 *as by the .skey .206,.:Figure 11. :Clutch collar .Zfiiis constructed; and arranged for driving engagement -withirrespect .;to the I hub :22? on 1 pulley 126 I the icoxnplementarytongue'wfl andv groovezZBS being formed respectivelyxin these parts andithettongue i208i'being iurged-yieldably.into groovei2il9 by. the coil .spring:2tllzsleeved. on shaft I28 and interposedundencompression between collarsztsand 205.

Tongue 208 normally is maintained outiofengagementwith groove'2fi9 by meansofpin2l! wvhich is retractablyv inserted in: the offset portion "2I2. of the peripheral groove 2 I3 formed in clutch collar 2 05. By reason of this arrangement-When the pin 2I I is-retracted or Withdrawn from groove ,2I2,-spring'.2I.0 forces'tongue 2B8 intogroove 22!! thereby to connect :shaft "I28 for rotation with 'pulley20I and simultaneously therewith, pin.2iI drops into groovea2 I 3 whereupon the driving connection between the pulley and-shaft. continues for approximately one complete revolution: of the shaft and therefore :the. camwheel I83: secured (thereto, collar 2% being .cammed away from hub2Il'I tomove1tongue1288 :out-xof groovet29 as groove 2I2 moves along :pin 2! I. The shaft I28 thus comes to rest when pin 2 I I againreaches 'itsposition as shown in Figure 11, the brake assembly serving to prevent over travel of the :shaft and cam wheel I83 when the'clutch becomes disengaged from pulley 22].

*Pin 2Il is slidably supportedinacup-shaped *housing 2M which is secured to a bracket support 2I5 therefor, the bracket being secured as byscrews 2"; to floor plate 52. Pin 2II has a reduced diameter portion 2I'I which extends through a suitable opening therefor in the closed end of housing 2 I4 and a coil'spring 2 I 2 is sleeved on-pinportion 2II within thehousing thereby yieldably to urge pin 'ZII'into'either of grooves 2I2 or'2l3.

Reduced pinportion 2II terminates ina'clevis ZIQ'WhiCh'iS pivotally secured as bypin 220 to bell "crank 22! which is supported for rocking movement as at 222 on the bracket 223 which is "secured to floor plate 52 by the screws 224.

The other end of bell crank 22I is pivotally secured asat 225 to an elongated clevised link 226 which'is'pivotally connected as at 221 to the ioot lever 228,"thelatter being pivotallysecured as at :able manner, tothe ,crosszbeamvzt 1 .:f :th tabl :supportior the machine. iThetable support; may

be in theform of 'azsuitable bench, or the like, 5 having the .top 232 .uponwhich, floor'or founda- ;tion:p1ate 52 rests and suitablej-legs'233bf sufii- .cientxheight such. thatthe fixed anvil 93 r is; about handihigh with respect to an operator of the mavchine,;thereby. to facilitate feeding of. the cotton ties into the machine and .torender convenient .movementof theoperatorsioot into operative engagement with the foot pedal 23 l .1 carried-by foot lever 228.

The operation of the 1machine will best :be understood by; reference {t0 the. timing -,diagram .Of/Figure, 2,1.

jAssuming-all partsgof thermachine to;;be.in.,the -.-po sition; shown inEigureB, with the-'exceptionjof clutch, 2OZ 'WhiCh, it ,will further be assumed'thas :notyet been actuated, the tie 39 ,isinserted into the machine, the tie first moving over;the-;fixe d 1 anvil e3, thence through the. eye :in buckle; 25, thence, over folding .lug I 51, thence under; anvil portion I. of retractable. anvil I 4 I and thence over folding 111 i515 and1intoengagement with stop I59.

.The clutch 2B2; ,iscthenl operated .bydepressing foot ,pedal 32-34 which withdraws'rpingfli :from groove 2I2, operation of clutch222 being;indicated bythe, heavy line 235 in Figure .21 and thisoperation: may, be regarded asthemovement of collar, 285 1130 engage the. .clutch,;the collar: re-

maining as inthe position of Figure: 3 during the time, indicated by the dashed lines 233 of, Figure 21 after which it. moves .to disengage the clutch as indicated ,bythe spaced lines 23'I;of FigureZl. As the'clutchdisengages, the brake assembly operates ,as vindicatedby heavy lines .238 .to stop cam Wheel I33 whose one complete revolution is indicated by the heavy line.

Shortly after cam wheel I83 begins to rotate, the radiusof camtgroove I82 in engagement with roller IBI becomes progressively smaller until the center of the straightportionof thecam groove is reached whereupon the'radius of the groove again progressively. increases until: the maximum radius of the groove. is again reached. :A roller I8Imoves toward the center of the straight portion of the groove, rod I13 is moved in block II 6 and operates through links I69 to rock-rocker. arm

. I65 whereupon gear segment I63 causes'gear'lfil and folding lug'l5fi securedfor rotationtherewithto rotate approximatelyl80" .t-o'the posi- ;pti-on:of.-.Figure l2, thereby to form the'first fold 55 (31 in the tie SI] about: the retractable anvil portion Hi4. Thi movementof foldinglug I56 is indicated by the heavy line 240 in Figure 21. As -roller I8I movesaway from the center of the straight portion of groove I82, the foregoing movements of the. p-arts are reversed whereupon .folding lug I56 is moved back, as indicated by the spaced lines 24H in Figure 21, to its initial position.

As folding lug 'I 56 begins its return movement, anvil MI is retracted as indicated by the heavy line 242, the cam roller I2Imoving from the low peripheral surface of cam I24 to the higher surface I24a. "approximately 90 after rotation of shaft I20 begins. Roller I27 then-continues on the high surface I24a for about 180 as indicated by the dashed lines 243, Figure 21, the roller returning to the lower peripheral surf-ace as indicated by the spaced lines 244, at which time the anvil "MI is restored toits initial position. As roller I21 moves out, of course, it operates through cam lever I29, rods I34 and I36, and bell crank I38 to withdraw anvil MI and anvil portion I44 from the fold 3! in tie 30. As the roller moves to the lower surface of cam I24, the foregoing movements of the parts are reversed Whereupon the anvil MI is returned to its initial position.

After anvil I4I moves out of fold 3| in the tie, cam groove I86 becomes effective, as in the aforedescribed manner of groove I82 and lug I56 to move folding lug I51 approximately 180 about buckle portion '23, Figure 13, thereby to form fold 32 in tie 30. This movement of folding lug I5! is indicated at 245 in Figure 21 and the return movement thereof is indicated at 246.

Any time after lug I5'I completes fold 32 in tie 30 as, for example, when the lug has returned to its initial position, holder pin 90 is drawn out of buckle 25 as indicated at 241 in Figure 21. This may be seen in Figure 9 wherein it will be observed that roller I I3 is moved to the high surface II4a of cam II4 after about 240 of rotation of shaft I20 and rides on the high surface for about 90 of rotation of the shaft as indicated by the dashed lines 248 of Figure 21. Roller H 3 thereafter moves to the lower surface of cam I I4 as indicated at 249 in Figure 21.

As cam roller I I 3 moves out, it operates through cam lever I08, lever I06, lever arm I03, rocker shaft 98 and arm 91 to move holder pin out of buckle 25, this movement of the parts being reversed as roller II3 moves to the lower surface of cam II4, thereby to return the holder pin to its initial position.

As holder pin 90 moves out of the buckle, cam roller II, Figure 7, moves to the outer peripheral surface 12a of cam 12 operates through cam lever 66, rods 64 and 62, rocker arm 59, rocker shaft 56, and arm 53 to move loading dog 46 to the buckle receiving position thereof, this movement being indicated at 250 in Figure 21. Roller II rides on cam surface 12a for a short time as indicated at 25I in Figure 21 and then returns to the lower cam surface as indicated at 252.

As the loading dog moves toward the buckle receiving position, it carries the buckle and folded tie therewith, upturned portion 28 of the buckle being held in recess 48 in the loading dog. The tie, however, moves up over the inclined surface 253 in the fixed anvil whereby the buckle is lifted out of the loading dog thereby to eject the buckle and tie therefrom, as indicated at 254 in Figure 21, before the loading dog reaches the buckle receiving position.

While cam roller 'II is riding on cam surface 12a, i. e., while the loading dog is in the buckle receiving position, cam roller 34 rides over cam lobe Bla, Figure 9, whereupon cam lever 42 is actuated to operate link 4Ia, pawl 4i, ratchet wheel 40 and hopper disk 36 so as to drop a buckle from the hopper 35, into the chute, and thence into the loading dog. Movement of the hopper disk, for example, is indicated at 255 in Figure 21 and the return movement of pawl M, for example, is indicated at 256.

When the buckle has been received in the loading dog, the same moves back, as indicated at 252, to the tie receiving position and concurrently therewith retractable anvil I4I moves back to its tie receiving position after which holder pin 90 moves into the buckle as indicated at 249 as the cam wheel completes its cycle of operations.

From the foregoing, it should now be apparent that a tie buckling machine has been provided which is well adapted to fulfill the aforestated objects of the invention and whereas specific structure and timing operations have been dis-.

closed for the purpose of illustrating a satisfactory embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that additional embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A machine of the character disclosed for folding a cotton tie about an eye-buckle therefor comprising a loading dog for carrying the buckleinto tie receiving position, a retractable anvil arranged in lateral spaced relation with respect to said loading dog and having a rounded edge portion, a fixed anvil arranged adjacent the loading dog on the side cpposite from said retractable anvil, said tie being inserted into the eye of the buckle adjacent the upper portion thereof andv arranged on top of said fixed anvil and beneath said retractable anvil, first and second folding lugs disposed beneath said tie and having axesof rotation arranged respectively coincident with the axes of said rounded edge portion of the retractable anvil and said upper portion of the buckle, means operable in unit cycles for rotating said first and second lugs in predetermined sequential order and each through approximately and back to first fold the tie about said retractable anvil and thereafter to fold the tie about said portion of the buckle thereby to secure the buckle to the tie, and means controlled by said unit cycle means for withdrawing said reto the retractable anvil, and means operable in unit cycles for foldin the tie first around saidretractable anvil, withdrawing the retractable anvil from the fold, and thereafter folding the tie about a portion of the eye of the buckle.

3. A machine of the character disclosed for applying a cotton tie to the eye-buckle therefor comprising a loading dog for receiving the buckle and moving the same from a buckle receiving position to a tie receiving position, said tie being inserted in the eye of the buckle, a retractable anvil disposed above the tie and arranged in pr'edetermined spaced relation therealong from the buckle, a fixed anvil arranged on the opposite side of the buckle and beneath the tie, a buckle holder pin arranged for sliding movement with respect to said fixed anvil and having a portion arranged to enter the eye of the buckle inter fittingly therewith to hold the same locked in said tie receiving position, and means controlled at will and operable in unit cycles for folding the tie around the retractable anvil, withdrawing the retractable anvil from the folded tie, folding the tie about a portion of the eye of the buckle, withdrawing said holder pin from the buckle, moving said loading dog to its buckle receiving position to receive a new buckle and back to its tie receiving position, restoring the retractable anvil, and restoring and inserting the holder pin into said new buckle all in the order named.

4. A tie buckling machine of the character dis-J closed for folding a tie in a first fold and thereafter in at -second fold-"about a portion of an ey of a buckle therefor; comprising a retractableanvilfi means opera-blein unit cycles for folding said tie first about'the anvil-and thereafter about aporticnof the eve of the buckle after the anvil has beemretracted; and tie-supporting means, said-'tie-being supported adjacent it endsend onopposite sides of the buck l by thefirst men tioned means and the tie supportingmeansp A cotton tie'buckling machine-of the characterdisclosed comprising 'a plate, a shaft rotat ablysupported onsaid 'plate; a cam wheel secured to said shaftfor-rotation therewith, means controllable-atwill for rotating aid cam Wheel in unit' cycles of 'onerevolution of the wheel, a pair of rocker: shafts-v rotatiivelv supported on said plate inspaced parallel T relation, a pair of; tie

folding lugszsecured respectively toithe ends of? said: rocker shafts: and extended radially: there-- from in':.thesame direction, a retractable anvil:

arrangedlsubstantially coaxially of one ofisaid rocker: shafts; means for holding a buckle. with a loop 'portion thereof substantiallyccaxially of the:

other 'of said rockershafts, a fixed anvil secured to: said: plate: and disposed on the other side of the-buckle fromsaid retractable anvil, a tie stop secured to saidlplate in predetermined spaced relation-from said retractable anvil, the tie being disposed above said lugs andsaidfixed anvil and below-'said' retractable an vil and said 'bucklerlo'cp" portion 1 andin: abutting I engagement" with said stop,ldriving ccnnections'between said cam wheel and said rocker'sh'aft's for: rocking said lugs back and forth in predetermined sequence 1 during said portion' qf-fthe' buckle; .aretractable anvil'dispcsed" inpredetermined spaced relation from the buckle along the: tie and'arranged thereabove; a pair of: rotatable folding: lugs disposed beneath the tie-,'.one:of: said lugs having. the axi -of rotation thereof insubstantial: alignment with'said buckle portion? and: having: a; folding surface extending betweerr the buckleandsaid retractable anvil in face-adjacency withzthe tie, the other of said: lugs-:havingpitsz axis: of rotation: in. substantial.- alignment withsaid "retractable" anvil andhaving at folding surface extending away from the :anvil:

ontheoppositersidezthereof' fronr-thebuckle, first andsecond: cam :means forrocking saidJugsback and;:forth-. through approximatelyiSOf, third. cam means for withdrawing. andrestoring said. re.--

tractable anvil, and means operable in unit cyclesfor Operating said first, second and third. cam means in predetermined.sequence. wherebythe: tieuisfirst folded around the: anvil and thereafter aroundthe. buckle after the. anvil has,

been withdrawn:

7 A cotton tie buckling machine comprising a buckle-hopper having means for discharging the buckles one. at atime therefrom as the hopper isaactuated abuckle-chute depended from the hopper; a buckle loading dog having means for supporting a buckle thereon and movable betweenabuck-1e receiving position with respect tosaid chute-and a, position forv receiving a tie 12 through the eyeof the buckle supported' thereon, means including a retractable pin inserted through theeye of" the buckle for holding: the. same in said tie receivin position of'the lcading dog, a retractable anvillarrangedin:predetere mined spaced: relation from-'- the buckle along th'ei tie and disposed above the tie, first and second: rotatable folding lugs arrangedupon limited .rotationthereof to fold the tieinitiallyaroundsaid anvil and thereafter around apor-tion" of theeye of said buckle, a first cam meansfor rocking said first lue forwardthrough said .limited rotation. and backi'again; asecond: cam means for rocking said second lug'fcrwardl'through said limited-ro taticn and back agaimaft'erthe first" lug: has started .to. move; back; a:- thirdlcam means .for: re tracting 'said: anvil before saidfsec'ondtlugi moves t forward,. a .fcurthicamameans:forretracting said; pine fromthebuckle: after. said secondilu'gi'moves: back; a." fifth. camrmeans; for. moving: saidlcading dogrtofsaidtbnckletreceiving 7p o'sition :an'd .ba'clc toi' saiditie receiving-position whemsaidlpimis re.- tracted; a sixth cam; means; for: actuating: said; hopper when: thezloadingrd'og isirrsaidbucklerreeceiving position: thereby to dr'opzaibuckle the. loading. dog,. said: third: cam' means. being con:- structed and arranged'sto replacethe-anvilcomcurrently 'WithZSEtid T backmovement of; theloading' dog, said fourth cam means being; constructed: and: arranged. to "replace: said pinvafter the load-- ingdogis moved .back,.and: means: controllableiat willv and operable in unit cycles for operating said: cam-meansr during; each cycle of. operation;

8. A cotton tie buckling machinei asi iniclaim' 7 and including meansdcr ejecting theabuckle from-theloading dog .asJ-the same; moves. toward said buckle receiving" position thereof, said load-- ingydog being: constructed-and arranged to with.- draw" thebllfikler supported thereon and. the. tie: folded: onthe-buckle-a's: the loading-z do'gimovestoward said buckle receiving?v position.

9. A cotton: tievbuckling-ymachineas in claim: 7, said. unit'cyclemeans: comprisinga shaft; a cam wheelr supported onthe shaft for. rotation therewith;,.a spring urged: brake. in engagement With'said.cam\ wheelto'retard rotation thereof, adrive. wheelrotativelysupported on :the shaft and havin means for connection to -asource of power, a clutoh ccllarz-slidably supported on the shaft, a-hub onsaid drive wheel,.said hub: and collar having; complementary; groove and tongue engaging surfaces, springmeans for yielda'bly urgingsaid-groove and-tonguesurfacesinto:mu!- tual engagement, a peripheralgroove-cnsaidzcolelar terminatingain. an end groove;portionv ofis'et axially. from: theremainingportion of? the rgr'oovei and in-aidirectionzaway; fromsaidispringimeana. a spring urged pin: arranged. for "movement: into said peripheral: groove when" said: tongueryanda groove surfaces aremutuallv engaged; said collar being movedaxia-lly awayfrom said hubv as: said pinmoves-into-said offset-groove portionzthereby to disengagesaid i'tongueandgroovesurfaces and said brake serving to-stopi'saidf camrwheelz..asi said surface disengage; a fect pedal; and;link. means vbetween said pedal and said: pin fOIiWithdrawing the pin from saidroffset groove portion as the pedalis depressed;

10; A cotton tie buckling machine'com'prising a floor plate having an opening therein, a drive shaft rotatably supported-ch: said; plate rparallel therewith; a cam: wheelv fixed to said. shaft: for rotation therewith, a: drive wheel: mounted: for rotation on the shaft-and havingl'connections' to;

- a source of power; a clutch'operabl'e at will foi asaaese connecting said cam wheel to said drive wheel for rotation therewith through one revolution of the cam wheel, a brake for stopping rotation of the cam wheel a said drive wheel is disconnected therefrom, a sub-plate secured to said plate in predetermined spaced relation therewith, a pair of spaced standards extended upwardly through said opening in the plate, a rocker shaft supported on said standard and arranged parallel to said shaft, a pair of rocker arm-s mounted for rotation on said rocker shaft and each terminating at one end in a gear segment, said cam wheel having a circular groove on each side thereof, each groove having a straight portion and the straight portion of one groove being arranged at less than 90 from the other, a pair of cam rollers individual to said grooves, a driving connection between said rollers and said rocker arms, a pair of tie folding shafts journaled in said standards and arranged in parallel spaced axes of said folding shafts and having an anvil portion aligned with said lugs, said anvil portion having a Wedge-shaped cross section rounded at the thicker edge, the axis of said rounded edge being arranged approximately coincident with the axis of rotation of the folding shaft adjacent said stop, the lug individual to said last named shaft being disposed between the stop and said retractable anvil, the lug individual to the other folding shaft being disposed between said axes of the folding shafts, a fixed anvil secured to said plate in alignment with said lugs and arranged adjacent the axis of said other folding shaft on the side opposite thereof from the lug thereon, a buckle loading dog arranged for sliding movement on the plate substantially coaxially of said other folding shaft and having means for supporting a buckle thereon so that the upper loop portion of the buckle is in substantial alignment with the axis of the shaft and with said lugs when the loading dog is in position to receive a tie through the eye thereof, a retractable pin slidabiy supported in said fixed anvil for movement into the eye of said buckle when the loading dog is in said tie receiving position, a plurality of earn means carried by said drive shaft for rotation therewith and individual to said retractable anvil, said retractable pin and said loading dog, and driving connection between said cam means and said anvil, pin and dog individual thereto for operating the same in predetermined sequential order as the cam wheel rotates through said one revolution thereof.

JOHN W. MORRISON.

REFERENCES CITED The i'ollowing references are of record in the of this patent:

UNETED STATES PATENTS 

